Fire and Ice
by LostSparrow
Summary: She was cold and angry. He was complete opposite; fiery. Her heart was ice. But in the end, fire always melts ice. Quintus/OC. Slight AU.
1. Chapter 1

Atarah walked angrily through the forest, taking time to break anything she touched. She heard someone running behind her; of course they had followed her. She was forbidden from leaving the small village unless someone was with her. The Picts had taken her hostage when she was ten years old, and her people had never come for her. The Picts took pity on her, and raised her as one of their own, but she had never forgotten her people and how they betrayed her. She learned not to trust anyone, never letting anyone close because if you don't let anyone in, then you won't get hurt. That was her rule and she lived by it. But just then the person who was chasing caught up with her and grabbed her arm, yanking her to a stop.

"What is it?" she snarled at the man.

"You cannot leave the village!" he yelled at her.

He pulled her back to the village, as they drew closer, they heard;

"I am a soldier of Rome! I will not yield!"

"Who is that?" she asked, but the man only shoved her inside and pulled her to the crowd that was gathered around something. She broke free of his grasp and went to get a better view of the thing they were a huddled around, and she saw a man.

The man was a soldier names Quintus Dias. He was captured by a group of Picts and they brought him back here. After they were finished taunting and humiliating him, they through him in a hut where they kept prisoners. She began to walk back to her own hut, but she had to walk past the prisoner hut. She knew every inch of that place, having spent almost a year in it. Her hand reached up to her forearm and she stroked the scar she had there, marking her as traitor but in a hidden spot so she was one of them… For now. She hated being prisoner here; she didn't wish it on anyone. She couldn't escape, but maybe she could help someone else to.

She got back to her hut, and waited until most of the people were asleep and then around the middle of the night, she took a cloth and ointment and silently walked to the prisoner hut. She walked past the guards and slipped into a hole that she discovered from her days of being trapped there. She stepped in and Quintus looked up. He tried to attack her, but she kicked him back and then quickly held up her hands, showing she was unarmed. He stopped and stared at her, still on his guard.

"I am not going to hurt you. I just have something to clean your cut," she said, nodding in the direction of the wound on his chest.

He didn't say anything, so she took a step forward and he took a step back.

"Listen if I want to kill you, I would have done it already." she said annoyingly.

He stood up straight and she walked over to him and took out the cloth and rubbed it in the ointment and then she gently smoothed it across his chest. He flinched at her touch.

"They would have killed you," she whispered

"Why didn't they?" he asked

She looked up, surprised at the sound of his voice.

"Saving you for something else I guess." she responded, looking back down at the wound she was cleaning.

"You're one of them?" he asked her.

"No, no. I am not one of them. I was taken here against my will when I as a child. I have been trying to escape, but they will not let me leave."

"I'm sorry." he said.

"You weren't there, so how could you have helped it anyway? No need to apologize."

"You are doing something nice for me and I was only trying to-

"Stop talking, your chest is moving. It's harder to apply the ointment."

"You're an interesting woman," he said quietly.

She smiled and continued to dab the cloth on his chest. After a few minutes, she stopped and put the cloth back in her pocket and turned to leave.

"You're just going to leave me here?" he asked

"I have to go. I will come back here tomorrow. And I will help you escape," she said and then quickly slipped out of the hut.

She came back the same time the next night. She stepped in and saw Quintus was asleep. He looked peaceful, so she didn't want to wake him, she only walked over and knelt down beside him and took out her cloth, she waited for a long time until she dabbed the ointment on his chest. His eyes opened almost immediately and he shot up and almost hit his head on hers. She gasped; his face was only inches from hers. She swallowed hard, and then coughed and stood up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you." she said.

"Yeah, well you didn't do a very good job at it," he said bluntly.

She pressed her lips together and her fingers reached up to the dagger that was attached to her belt. Quintus saw her hand move and quickly said;

"I'm sorry. I just… I need to get out of here. That's all I care about right now."

"There is only one way to escape. There's no way you can take on the whole village, it's impossible. So you have to get out through the whole that I come through, and then you run for your life. Never stop. I will take care of the guards outside," she said, taking out a whetstone and began sharpening her dagger.

"You will just take them by yourself?" he asked.

"Mhm," she mumbled.

"I can't let you do that," he said standing up and walking closer to her, dangerously close considering she had a knife in her hand.

"Why not? What do I matter to you?" she asked.

"You don't mean anything to me, I am worried to will not be able to defeat them and I will be captured again." he responded irritably.

"Don't underestimate my abilities. I have taken out men larger then you, how do you think I survived being held here for a year? Why do you think they kept me? They came in every night and… I lost my purity when I was ten years old. One night, I couldn't take it anymore, so I killed him. They were furious with me at first, but then they realised I could be useful. So they kept me." she said angrily.

"You were ten?" he asked, his face creasing in concern.

"Yes. But I don't like talking about it," she said.

"But-

"I don't mean anything to you, so why should you care about what happened to me in the past? If you don't leave now, you won't have a chance at escaping." she said bitterly and pushed him to the hole. She stood up and tiptoed to the entrance and put her fingers to her lips and then waited for a few seconds and then pointed to the hole and then she ran out the entrance.

Quintus ran out, he didn't know if she was telling the truth, but he had to go now. He heard scuffling behind him, but he didn't stop until he got safely to the protection of the trees. He looked back and saw the women beating a man. Once he was one the ground, she stood and turned her back to the village and faced the forest, she seemed to be looking right at him, then someone came up behind her and clubbed her in the head and she crumpled to the ground. He caught his breath as the sound of hard wood hitting bone shook his body. They women seemed lifeless as the Picts kicked her to see if she would wake up. He swallowed hard, and then turned and ran away from the camp, if this girl did just die, then she died for him and he wasn't going to waste her sacrifice. He heard yelling and the sound of horses galloping behind him. He ran as hard as he could, ran for his life like she told him to. He realised as he was running that he didn't even know her name.


	2. Chapter 2

Quintus continued to run for four days, and eventually stopped at nightfall on the fourth day. He stood doubled over, gasping for breath. He suddenly heard something running towards him, he stood quickly getting ready to fight whatever it was when a person flew out of the bushes and landed on him. He grunted and fell to the ground, intertwined with the person. He tried to kick it off, when he realised who it was.

"You!" he yelled

"You!" she screamed back

"How did you get here? I thought you were dead!"

"They gave me a bad concussion but didn't kill me. You underestimated my strength Roman," she spat at him. She got off him and held her left arm, which appeared to be broken.

"What happened to your arm?" he asked, getting up and walking over to her.

"It's a thing called torture genius. They tortured me every day since you left. The kept trying to get me to tell them where you went but I didn't know. They hurt me in ways I didn't even know they used." She whispered, shuddering at the memories.

"How did you escape?"

"They thought I was as good as dead, so they just threw me into the prisoner hut and left. I just slipped out one night."

"How did you catch up with me? I have been running for four days!"

"I know the land much better then you do. I know short cuts," she said simply.

"Well good job to you, now could you please get me out of these binds?"

"No. Do you see a knife on me? And I only have one good hand. Sorry, Roman you are going to have to live with your hands tied up for a bit longer," she said and then turned and started to run away.

"Where are you going?"

"Leaving."

"Oh really? I couldn't tell."

"Ha, funny." she said and then turned and started to leave again.

"No, seriously don't leave now, wait until morning at least,"

"What so you can kill me in my sleep?"

"I wouldn't kill you. You saved me so I owe you."

"You can't keep me from leaving."

"No I can't but do you really want to go running out into the dark, trip on something and break your other arm? Just wait until morning, please. And who is supposed to get me breakfast if you leave?"

"Oh no, if you want food you are going to have to find it yourself. I am not going to be bothered to find you anything."

"You are so useful."

"If it wasn't for me, you would still be rotting in that hut. Be thankful!"

"Wow, you have a mind of your own. I don't like that in a woman."

"Well, it's not like you are planning to marry me so it doesn't matter. And don't expect me to sit still and quiet while you make all the plans."

"I had no doubt in my mind that you were going to say that."

"Good. So you better listen to me and do what I say."

"I am not going to be your slave, we will make decisions together," he said and then he sat down on the ground and she sat a few feet away from him.

"Fine." she said and then rolled over on her side.

"Fine." he said and did the same.


	3. Chapter 3

Atarah woke the next day and the first thing she noticed was that she was alone. She stood up quickly, ignoring the terrible pain in her arm. She looked around for Quintus, but could not see him anywhere. Had he tricked her? She never should have trusted him. She walked quickly to the trees, eager for some protection from the wide open space. She winced as she tried to hold her broken arm, and eventually just gently held her wrist. She heard a twig snap and she looked around quickly, and suddenly Quintus came out of nowhere and ran into her, knocking her into the bushes. He had gotten out of his bounds and he quickly covered her mouth with his hand and put his finger to his lips, and then he just lay on top of her, pinning her to the ground. The pain in her arm was unbearable, and she was close to biting Quintus's hand to get him off, but then she heard the sound of hoof beats. They came closer and closer and the heard voices, then someone yelled and they the voices disappeared into the distance. Quintus stayed on top of her for what seemed like forever, so she sunk her teeth as hard as she could into his hand. He quickly pulled his hand away and got away from her

"What the hell was that for?" he hissed at her

"I couldn't breathe with you on top of me idiot!"

"I just saved your life, you could be more grateful!"

"Saved my life, oh sure you did. I think you just fractured my already broken arm!"

"Would you rather that or being dead right now?"

"Honestly, I would rather be dead than have to put up with you!"

He glared at her and then turned and walked the opposite way.

"Where are you going?" she called to him.

"You obviously don't need me, so I don't see why we need to stay together! Good luck lady!"

"Fine! Good luck Roman! I hope a pack of wolves find you!" she yelled at him and then turned and walked away from him, wincing as the severe pain from her arm cause her to walk more slowly then she would have liked. She didn't need him, she didn't need anybody. She survived on her own for years.

Quintus quickly walked in the trees so nobody could see him. Damn that girl, she didn't need him and he didn't need her, so why should he stay? She was fine… he hoped. When he was he had his hand on her face, she felt hot, unusually hot, like she had a fever. Maybe she had gotten it from her arm? What if it gets worse? What if-

_Stop it, h_e told himself firmly. She's not your responsibility, so why does she matter to you? But without her, he would still be in that hut back at the village. He stopped and turned around, staring at the path behind him, he should go back. Just to make sure she is alright. He began to run back down the path in hopes that he will find her.

Atarah was still walking but she felt strangely dizzy. She had to stop many times, which was both embarrassing and dangerous to her. She should be moving quicker, trying to find cover but she couldn't. She was staring at the trees when the world began to spin and then her face met the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

Quintus ran until he came to someone collapsed on the ground.

_Oh shit._

He walked over to her and rolled her over, and then put his hand on her forehead, which was searing hot with a fever. He debated just leaving her there, letting the Picts find her but, she had saved him and he owed her. He picked her up and ran quickly back to the trees. Once he found an area that was pretty concealed by trees, he laid her down, being careful with her broken arm. Dammit, why did she ever have to find him, couldn't she have just run in the opposite direction… _Stop _he told himself firmly. She found you for a reason. So he watched her that whole night, heard her moans and sometimes she would mumble something, but he would never hear her. He was still awake when her eyes fluttered open the next day.

"What happened?" she said, her voice barely audible

"You passed out. You have a fever." He responded and pressed his hand on her forehead.

"But I'm freezing," she whimpered.

She began to shiver, even though she was sweating. Quintus looked around, but there was nothing to cover her with. He walked over and lay down next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Don't get excited, it's just for body heat." he said.

"That's really nice of you,"

"Wow, you must be sick."

"Why would you say that?"

"You would never say anything nice to me if you were in your right head."

"Maybe… maybe I was just playing hard to get. Maybe all along, I just wanted you to come back and protect me," she said and then let out a little laugh, which sounded a little crazy.

"Yep. You're sick. And I am going to use that against you later."

She laughed again and then she looked up at him, her smile turning serious.

"Just go to sleep," he mumbled.

She swallowed and nodded and then rested her head on his arms and then eventually fell asleep. He debated staying up again, but sleep beckoned him and he lay his head on top of hers and eventually fell into a deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Quintus woke later that day and he was drenched in sweat. He quickly pulled his arms away from Atarah and stood up, wiping the sweat away from his forehead. He leaned down and pressed his hand against her forehead, and pulled it away quickly, no wonder he was sweating, her temperature had risen again.

He made sure no one was around, and then ran to a small stream that was a short distance away. He cupped the icy water in his hands and then threw it on his face. It felt good, he drank some and then took some in his hands and as carefully as he could, brought it back to Atarah and then knelt down and dropped the water on her face. Her eyes opened and she sat up quickly, almost hitting him.

"Well, doesn't this look familiar?" she said with a faint smile on her face.

"Yeah, you do like to be in my face all the time don't you?"

"It's my speciality to annoy you."

"I never said it was annoying," he said as he reached down and gingerly pulled her up. She bit her lip, but didn't cry out, as her arm flopped to her side.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No, no. it is fine- wait, you're being unusually nice." she said as she eyed him suspiciously.

"Well you are sick and have a broken arm. I just wouldn't feel right being unkind to you. But once you're better, it is back to normal."

"Once I'm better. Wonderful."

"What are you talking about lady?"

"I… nothing, it's nothing, just forget it. So where are we off to now?"

"You need water. Then we have to keep moving."

He led her to the small stream and they both knelt down and began to drink.

"We should go." he said after they stopped drinking and he stood up and pulled her up to. They began to run, when Quintus stopped.

"What is it?" she asked

"This doesn't mean anything" he said and then walked forward and grabbed her shirt.

"What are you doing?" she cried, pulling away.

"I said it doesn't mean anything, just come here,"

She walked forward hesitantly and he grabbed her shirt again, and began to rip off the bottom. Once he got a long strip, he tied it in a loop around her neck then very carefully lifted her arm and put it through, making a make-shift sling.

"Thank you," she said

"You're welcome."

They stood staring at each other for a moment, when they heard rustling in the forest. "Come one, we have to keep moving." he said and began to run, pulling Atarah behind him


	6. Chapter 6

"Please stop, Quintus!" Atarah yelled, pulling him to a sudden halt and then doubled over and tried to get her breathing back to normal.

"No, we have to keep going-

"We have been running for hours! I can't do it anymore!"

"They're on our trail! What are we supposed to do?"

"God you're stupid," she said then walked away from him and walked up on a small grassy ledge and stepped behind a tree. She pointed to another tree and Quintus stepped behind it. They waited and then they heard a horse's canter. Atarah peeked out from the tree and then when the rider got closer, she pounced out from behind the tree and landed on the rider, knocking him from his horse. The two landed on the ground and then the rider threw Atarah off him. She landed with a hard thud on the ground and that's when Quintus came out form his hiding place and easily snapped the rider's neck. He let the lifeless body drop to the ground and walked over to Atarah and pulled her up.

"Thanks." she muttered and shook off his arm.

"Anytime," he said then walked over to the rider and stripped him of his weapons, and then pulled off the shirt he was wearing and put it on, he also took the fur coat he had. Atarah had gone over to the horse and was talking softly to it.

"Come on, lady." he called out.

"It's Atarah." she grumbled but followed him, leading the horse. They stopped at a clearing, taking a chance to sleep out in the open. Atarah tethered the horse to a tree and then walked over and lay down beside Quintus. It was dark out, but the moon was full, which made everything have a beautiful, pale glow. Quintus looked over at his companion, who was looking up at the stars. He had never really taken time to study her face, but looking at her now she was beautiful. Her long black hair was fanned out behind her head and her skin was flawless. She had beautiful dark brown, almost black eyes, and full lips. She looked up and caught him staring at her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said and rolled over on his side.

"Quintus?" she asked.

"What is it?" he said, looking over at her.

"I'm cold."

He came closer to her and wrapped his arms around her once again. She fell asleep almost instantly, but he stayed awake for a bit longer, making sure there was no danger, and then fell asleep too.


	7. Chapter 7

Quintus awoke and found that his lips were only inches away from Atarah's. He quickly pulled away and stood up, then reached down and pressed his hand to her forehead, _Dammit._ She was still hot with fever. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open.

"Why are you always staring at me?" she asked.

"I'm not, I just happened to be looking in your general direction and…" he flattered.

"Don't deny it Roman. You know you just love to look at me-

"Oh shut up," he muttered and walked away, grumbling to himself about women. Atarah grinned and then stood up and followed him.

"Where are we off to now?" she asked.

"Food, before anything. Then we will continue on and you need medicine." He responded and looked up at the cloudy sky.

"What?"

"Medicine, lady, we need medicine."

"Lady? Really of all the names-

"Oh, be quiet. Come on," he said and walked to the forest. Together they found some berries and mushrooms. Then they collected the horse and began walking again.

"So Quintus, you know about me, now I want to know more about you. How did you become a soldier for Rome?" she asked, walking closer to him.

"My father taught me how to fight, he was a gladiator."

"I asked how you became a soldier-

"I don't want to talk about it," he said and they were both silent. They walked for a long time, until they came upon a beaten down little hut.

"Should we stop?" Atarah asked.

"We should have a look and see if someone's there." he said. Atarah tethered the horse and walked beside Quintus.

"You should stay-

"No."

He glared at her and continued walking. As they got closer, the stench of rotting flesh and vomit grew more intense. Atarah covered her mouth and nose with her hand and tried to keep from vomiting herself.

When Quintus knocked on the door and it immediately swung wide open. There were dead animals hanging from the ceiling and some were on the floor. There was also a strange concoction of herbs and flowers on a table, and a liquid that explained the smell of vomit.

"Who's there?" a voice called out. A moment later a hunched back, wrinkled old lady came limping out of the shadows.

"We're sorry to bother you, we needed to see if anyone was here." Quintus said.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Medicine-

"What's wrong with her?" the old lady interrupted and pointed to Atarah. Quintus turned to Atarah and saw she was turning a shade of green.

"She just… has a weak stomach," he said to the lady "Get out side." he then said to Atarah and she left without another word, and they heard her gaging outside.

"Her arm was in a sling." the lady said, limping a bit closer to him.

"She broke it, and she has a fever. Can you help?" he asked.

"Yes. But I'm not a witch!" she said quickly.

"I never said you were!" he quickly said.

She didn't respond, instead just walked over and began to mix some things together.

"Is she ok?" the lady asked.

Quintus stepped out to check on her, she was sitting beside the horse.

"She's fine." he said as he stepped back in.

"Where are you two going?" the old lady asked as she mixed the herbs.

"Don't know," he told her. He truly didn't, so why lie?

"Oh. Is she pregnant?" she asked him.

That took Quintus completely by surprise. He almost lost his balance. "No, no definitely not, she… why would you ask that!"

"Well she was sick, I was just wondering if maybe it was morning sickness-

"No, no, no I told you, she has a weak stomach." he interjected quickly. She smirked and went back to her work.

"Here that should be done-

"Thank you." Quintus said, grabbing the small bag that held the mix of… whatever it was. He left without saying another word. He ran out to Atarah, who was almost asleep. He nudged her and untied the horse.

"You're in a rush-

"Get up, we are leaving." he said quickly and pulled her up, got the horse and began to walk quickly, almost run.

"What happened?" Atarah asked as she tried to keep up with him.

He turned to her and began to blush. "Uh…. You can ride right?" he asked

"Of course I can ride-

"Good." he said and grabbed her and lifted her on the saddle and then got on behind her.

"Will you tell me what happened?" she asked again.

"It's an awkward subject." He said and then they began to canter down the road.


	8. Chapter 8

They had been riding for three hours straight. And they had not spoken at all. Eventually, Atarah got tired of the awkward silence.

"Why aren't you talking to me?" she asked and twisted around in the saddle so she could face him.

"Uh…. I am just not in a mood to talk." he answered and then looked at the ground, away from her stare.

"Hell Roman, you are such a bad liar." she said, annoyance creeping into her tone

"Do you really want me to tell you what she said?"

"Yes actually, I do!"

"Fine. She asked…. She asked if you were pregnant."

Atarah laughed so hard she nearly fell off the horse; Quintus had to grip her tightly around the waist to keep her from falling.

"Why is that so funny?" he asked, annoyed by her response.

"How do you find that awkward? It's a natural thing!" she said and started to laugh again.

"I hate you." he mumbled under his breath.

They stopped at a river after another hour of riding. The horse drank the water and after Atarah refused to take the medicine, Quintus practically forced it down her throat. She swallowed and then began gagging.

"Just keep it down," Quintus said as he splashed water onto his face.

"You didn't have to taste it!"

"What did it taste like?"

She opened her mouth, but decided to keep quiet. She stood up and walked over to Quintus, and pushed him in the river. He fell in with a big splash, and sat up quickly, sputtering and coughing.

"What the hell was that for?" he yelled.

"To get back at you for forcing me to swallow that God awful… whatever it was."

He seemed angry for a minute, and then he smiled evilly. He stood up and walked over to her.

"No, I have a broken arm-

But he pulled her in anyway. She didn't scream or cry out, but she actually started laughing. They rolled around in the water together and eventually they ended up on the wet sand, Atarah was on top of Qunitus. They were both panting and laughing, after a moment Quintus reached up and stroked the side of her head and she leaned into his hand. They were both quiet for a minute, and slowly Quintus raised his head and met her lips.


	9. Chapter 9

Quintus wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. But he was still being careful with her broken arm. She put her hand on his face and held him close. They were so oblivious to the world that they didn't even notice the hunched up old woman walk up to them. She smiled to herself, and then coughed. The two of them snapped up and looked at her. Atarah blushed and scrambled off Dias and he stood up.

"What do you want?" he asked the woman.

"Well, I was just walking, picking things, and I saw a group of people running around. They were talking, or should I say yelling, about two people they needed to find. And their descriptions fit the two of you." she said and gestured to them. In the sunlight, she was even more frightening with her old, crinkly skin and almost bald head and red rimmed eyes.

"They are still after us…" Atarah said and put her face in her hands. Quintus reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't keep running like this." she added and dropped to her knees. Quintus was chewing on his bottom lip, contemplating what to do.

"There is no way we can both escape, Quintus." Atarah said after a minute of silence.

"What are you implying?" he asked quickly.

"You know very well what I'm implying… you are a soldier." she said quietly.

"No. There is no way-

"There is no other choice," she said "you know this."

"You need to run then-

"That's not what I meant Quintus. You can make more of a life then I can, you can find someone else…" she trailed off, at a loss for words.

"I am not going to leave you." he said quietly

"I am not giving you a choice-

"I'm sorry." he said quietly and then he punched her as hard as he could in the jaw and she blacked out.

She awoke later that day, in the old woman's disgusting hut. She sat up quickly and looked around, looking for Quintus but he was nowhere to be seen. Then the old woman stepped in.

"He is not here." she said and walked over to her.

"Where did he go?" Atarah asked her, hopping off the table and then clutching her sore jaw.

"He wouldn't tell me. He did not want you to follow." the old woman responded and handed her a bag of sweet smelling herbs.

"Why did he do this?" she said and then she began to cry.

"He did not want you to get hurt," she responded. Atarah began to wail.

Atarah stayed for the day and then she left. She wandered in the forest until she came to a small, abandoned hut. For a year she lived there, but it was a lonesome life. She became isolated, and after that year decided to leave. She travelled from town to town, and she became a hunter. Hunting anyone for money and then disappearing without a trace. She became a feared figure, her name only heard in whispers. She had a cold heart, not caring about anything or anyone.

Quintus had survived; he survived because of a woman named Aelia. She saved him when he was stabbed by a Pict. He was living with Aelia now, but he couldn't push Atarah from his mind. From the day he had left her with the old woman he couldn't stop thinking about her. As much as he liked Aelia, he was planning on leaving to find Atarah. But he did not need to leave, because the next day he was outside with Aelia, telling her what he was planning when they heard screaming. A man came running out of the forest and a few seconds later Atarah came running after him. She had a pickaxe in hand and she stopped running, aimed at him and threw it. It hit the man directly in the back of the head.

Aelia had hid herself behind Quintus, who was standing there with his mouth hanging open. But he quickly composed himself and couldn't resist running over to her.

She seemed shocked at first, but then her shocked expression melted into a wide grin as Quintus came wrapped her in his arms. They held unto each other for another moment and then they both reluctantly pulled away.

"What have you been doing since… that day," she asked him, eyeing Aelia.

"Not what you think. What about you?" he asked her then he looked at the dead man on the ground. "Just killing men?"

"No, well, not right away. I lived in a hut for a year, and then I left and became what I am now." She responded. Quintus stayed absolutely quiet and just stroked her face with his thumb.

"I should leave now," she said and began to walk away but Quintus quickly grabbed her arm.

"No, don't leave. I left you once, I won't do it again!" he said to her.

"I once told you that you should leave, find a woman and make a life for yourself. You have done that. And never forget, you did something for me no one else ever did, you made me happy. Now just forget me." she told him and ran away into the dark trees. Quintus stood completely still for a moment, then turned to Aelia. She smiled and nodded in the direction of Atarah. He smiled at her and then ran after Atarah.

Atarah was leaning against a tall oak tree. She was wringing her hair, staring at the vacant forest. Her heart was cold. People were cruel. They only hurt you. That fact she knew, she discovered that at the tender age of ten. So with that in mind, who could possibly have the power to melt her ice of a heart? There was only one person, only one. His heart was almost icy as hers; maybe that's why they are attracted to each other. But ice doesn't melt ice… and then she realized it; Quintus Dias does not have a cold heart. His heart is full of a fiery, burning passion for life, battle, maybe even love. And fire melts ice.

So when she heard the footsteps come nearer and nearer, and then a hand on her arm, she didn't shove it away. She instead turned to him and nestled into his shoulder.

"I love you." he whispered in her ear.

"I love you too," she said and met his lips. They never let each other go again.


End file.
